I can hardly believe that the KPL Genealogy Fair has come and gone. After months of planning, meetings, emails, floor plans, run-throughs and last minute printing, the Genealogy Fair happened this past Saturday at Central Library. And what a day it was…

Lynn Palermo inspired and motivated us all to tell our family histories now before it’s too late. As I remarked after her keynote, I had the feeling that she had been watching my family history blog languish, untouched, for the past year. (Honestly, I’ve been busy!). But I have new resolve to get back to sharing my research, making each ancestor come alive. Thank you, Lynne, for your wonderful words and inspiration.

To our speakers, a big thank you for sharing your knowledge, expertise and skills with our fair attendees. I know that each of you helped someone along in their genealogical journey that day. The smiles and laughter coming room each of the meeting rooms was a tell-tale sign!

The fair could not have come off without the support and generosity of our exhibitors and vendors. They were enthusiastic, friendly and energizing. To everyone who came out to support the Library, thank you!

And, thank you to everyone who took the time to come down to explore, learn, share and discover at the Genealogy Fair! Your kind words, friendliness and enthusiasm made my day.

And to my colleagues, Sheila, Dale, Charlotte, Stephanie, Bryan, Karen, Karen (yes, we come in multiples!), Ingrid, Valerie, Berkeley, Shawn – and the staff of Information Services, you all have my heart-felt gratitude. It could not have been done without you.

As this was our first year in a new space at the Central Library, we’d love to hear from you about ideas to improve and make the fair better. We are hoping that a new cafe will be opened in the coming year at Central, which will be a very welcome addition. Do you have suggestions for speakers or workshop topics? Please let us know! We’d love to hear from you via the Contact form!

This Tuesday, after the madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is Giving Tuesday in Canada, a “opening day of the giving season, when everyone can share commitments, rally for favourite causes and think about others” (from the GivingTuesday website).

For me, it is a really timely moment of reflection as we begin our Soldier Information Card Project in the Grace Schmidt Room. I am truly grateful for the over 80 volunteers who have pledged their time, effort and support in getting our Soldier Information Card project off the ground. I am in awe of their generosity, commitment and sense of community in helping the Library honour the lives of the military service people of Waterloo County.

To our project volunteers, I say ‘thank you’. You are are the heart of the Grace Schmidt Room.